Wedding Terminology

For a new bride, figure out the difference between a boutonnière and a buttonhole or a trailing and a teardrop bouquet is stressful enough ( actually, there is none). To simplify things, we’ve created a glossary may you research with all the terms you might hear or read in your wedding flower planning.

Make it easy, there is no need to remember everything on the list. And of course, if you’ve come across a term that’s not on the list, most welcome to let us know and we will define it for you and add it to the list.

Aisle: main passage way between rows of seats at the ceremony site. Typically the path the bride will walk down to her groom and may be decorated with petals or carpet.

Altar Flowers: two feature arrangements, usually on an urn and pedestal that sit either side of the Altar.

Best man: man who is standing up and with the groom. The best man has special duties he is expected to perform leading up to and during the wedding.

Bridal Party: people participating directly in the wedding ceremony.

Bridesmaid: woman who standing up and with the bride.

Buttonhole: A floral decoration worn on the lapel of a man’ s blazer. Most commonly worn by the Groom, Groomsmen and the Father’s of the Bride and Groom.

Bomboniere: Also known as favours, these are small gifts given to wedding guests, often left on your guests table at the reception. They are often personalised, a souvenir of sorts from the wedding.

Corsage: Pin On – a small floral decoration consisting of about 5 small blooms worn on the shirt. Typically worn by the Mother of the Bride and Groom.

Candle Lighters: These are children or young adults who light the candles at the altar prior to the start of the wedding.

Flower Girl: young girl up to 9 years of age that immediately proceeds the bride either carrying flowers or scattering rose petals.

Floral Crownor Circlet: A hair wreath. Fresh flowers can be wired and worn in the hair. You should consult your hairdresser when ordering Hair Flowers.

Flower girl wand: A single bloom with it’s stem wrapped entirely in ribbon. Sometimes up to three flowers are used depending on the size of the flower’s bloom.

Groomsman: man who is standing up and with the groom.

Garland: Greenery or flowers wired together to create a string of flowers that can be hung as a decoration along stairs, bars, ceilings and other parts of a venue or home.

Hair flowers: Fresh flowers that a worn in the hair, these flowers can be wired. You should consult your hairdresser when ordering Hair Flowers.

Pew: a long bench with a back, placed in rows in churches to seat the congregation. May also refer to the end chair in a row of chairs along the aisle.

Pew bows: Typically made from Satin or Organza, these are bows tied the end pews along the aisles in churches or end chair, in a row of chairs, along the aisle.

Pew flowers: Flowers used to decorate the pews, commonly tied with a pew bow.

Page Boys: young boys up to 7 years of age who follow the bride down the aisle carrying the train of her gown.

Procession: when the bridal party walks down the aisle to start the ceremony.

Recession: when the bridal party walks down the aisle after the marriage ceremony.

Rose Ceremony: part of the marriage ceremony when the couple exchanges a single rose as a symbol of their commitment to each other.

Ushers: people who greet the wedding guests as they arrive and make sure they are seated in the correct place.

Vows: pledges that are exchanged by the couple that make the marriage binding.